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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25378285">The Chandravadhan Turmoil</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yass_Rani/pseuds/Yass_Rani'>Yass_Rani</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Karman Stories [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, M/M, Mention of Death, but not really, first karman oneshot, might make you cry</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:48:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,770</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25378285</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yass_Rani/pseuds/Yass_Rani</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kartik comes back to Allahabad with Rajini after the railway station scene, only to find his boyfriend's funeral happening.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kartik Singh/Aman Tripathi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Karman Stories [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1644433</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Chandravadhan Turmoil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The one conversation Kartik Singh had with Goggle Tripathi ended all the turmoil he'd had for the past hour since that damnable kiss at the wedding, since Shankar Tripathi threw him out and Chaman Tripathi bought him to the railway station. </p><p>He'd questioned everything in the past hour. He didn't know if he should've stayed, fought, he didn't know if he should leave back to Delhi and accept Aman as a failed attempt at love, leave whatever sweet memories he had with the Tripathi family, albeit few.</p><p>When Goggle talked to him, when she told him how much this would mean to Aman, how good it would be if he went back for her brother, to fight for his love, to live life as they wanted, he wasn't questioning anymore. He was sure. There was only one thing on his mind.</p><p>He loved Aman more than his life, and he was prepared to take <em>anything</em> that came his way.</p><p>They'd taken the overnight train to Allahabad, and Kartik practically <em>ran</em> to the Tripathi's house, Goggle just behind him, still in her wedding dress. He'd expected a lot to happen. He had expected Shankar would hit him, Sunaina would fix him in a glare, Aman would probably cry and kiss him again, he even was ready for Shankar Tripathi to shoot him if he had a gun license.</p><p>What he absolutely did not expect, was the sight that greeted his eyes the moment he stepped into the backyard of the Tripathi house. </p><p>A funeral. </p><p>A garlanded photo, and the traditional religious setting sprawled in front of it.</p><p>Most importantly, the person in the photo. Aman Tripathi.</p><p>Kartik could not register it. The love of his life, the man who he loved with all of him and who loved him back with the same intensity, dead. No. It couldn't be, right? How could that happen? There was no body either. He wasn't dead. No way, Kartik was probably just imagining it.</p><p>But how could he be? It was completely plausible. Maybe Tripathi killed his own son and held a cheap funeral. There was no saying he wouldn't.</p><p>The first person that caught his eye was Chaman Tripathi - and the moment Kartik saw him, the conversation they had last night came <em>rushing</em> back to him. It hit him like a hard rock, especially his own words -</p><p>"<em>Aman ko kuch hua na, toh Tripathi khaandaan ka address nahi maloom, lekin kahi na kahi se pahunch zaroor jaunga aur aapke ghar ke eent se eent baja dunga. Kehdo Shankar Tripathi se. Agar wo shiv hai, main shiv aur shakti dono hoon."</em></p><p>A solid threat. Kartik had <em>warned</em> him about the consequences of harming Aman. And now they're here, they've killed him?!</p><p>Kartik Singh's heart was boiling with emotions, but only one rose to the top. <em>Rage.</em> Utter, uncontrollable, extreme <em>rage</em>.</p><p>He ran at Chaman Tripathi and grabbed his collar with such force the poor man was yanked forward and only just managed to keep his footing. He was trying to speak, protest, argue his innocence but just the severe anger boiling in Kartik's eyes and reflected in his entire being made the older man falter in his words.</p><p>"I. <em>told. </em>you. to. make. sure. he's. SAFE!" Yelled Kartik, "What did you <em>do</em>? WHAT did you DO to my boyfriend? WHERE IS HE?! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?" The yelling turned into a roar of anger as Chaman just fumbled trying to find words, only a meek whimper escaping from him - </p><p>"Why does everyone ask <em>me</em> the out of syllabus questions?"</p><p>Kartik broke off in the middle of his anger. His shock overcame him, all the other emotions <em>flooded</em> into his heart, his brain. Sadness engulfed his entire being. He just couldn't deal with this. The anger faded as quickly as it came as he realised Aman - <em>his</em> Aman - was gone, and he just broke.</p><p>He fell to his knees, sobbing his heart out at the severe impact of losing his love. His life. His Aman. Gone, just like that. The last memory of them? A kiss. Wonderful, just not as the last memory or the last sight. He didn't know how long he sat there, sobbing and heaving dry sobs after he'd run out of tears, the world around him a messy blur of colours and noise. He felt so much happening <em>inside</em> of him, he just couldn't focus on anything outside.</p><p>That was the moment Aman noticed Kartik through the turmoil in his own self, walking towards his father in the courtyard. He was overcome with surprise and relief and ran towards his boyfriend - except his mother pulled him back and his father ran in to hold him in place. Holding him back from Kartik - a crying Kartik, at that.</p><p>That's when Kartik was shaken out of it by Goggle. He'd thought it was Shankar, but no, it was Goggle, and she was screaming at him.</p><p>"Kartik waha dekho! Look! He's fine! He's okay! He's fine!"</p><p>He's okay. He's fine. Aman. Was fine. </p><p>That's all he needed to hear - he shot up towards where Goggle was pointing - only to meet another incomprehensible sight.</p><p>Aman in glasses and one of those horrible middle-class office-type shirts he <em>hated. </em>His Aman. Alive. Fine. </p><p>Not fine, actually, just alive.</p><p>The usual spark in Aman's eyes when he saw Kartik was barely recognizable through the droop in his eyes, the tears, the look of <em>resignation</em>. Just when Kartik thought he'd gotten through when he thought Aman was dead, he definitely wasn't prepared for this.</p><p>Aman never looked like this. Ever. Even when they'd gotten homophobic comments when they'd fought, when they'd talked about his dad after that incident in the train.</p><p>And that broke Kartik even more. He had to fight for this, Goggle was right. He had to get Aman back. He had to.</p><p>"A-... Aman!", he cried out, hope in his voice, hope that it would somehow make his love feel better. </p><p>But then, Shankar Tripathi, in the most <em>scalding, </em>contempt-filled voice, boomed out-</p><p>"Aman nahi hai woh. Aman mar gaya. Ye hai mera beta Chandravadhan Tripathi. My son. Brand new, no bad habits like the previous one."</p><p>Kartik was angry, confused. He couldn't register the fact that Shankar just referred to his own son like some damned software that got updated. He then looked back at Aman, whose face dropped even more at that comment. Like he dropped his head in shame, in resignation, in hopelessness.</p><p>All Kartik wanted to do at that moment was to hug him and tell him everything was going to be alright, even if not immediately, eventually, they will be okay. That he will be okay and Kartik would never let anything bad happen to him.</p><p>The two lovers looked at each other for what felt like an eternity, the intensity of the moment only broken by Rajnj laughing her goggles off in the background. </p><p>The entirety of Allahabad was quiet, except for the soft crash of the river Ganga against the shores and Goggle's laughter carrying across the courtyard.</p><p>"Arre yaar sorry Tauji I don't know what's going on here, but the source of you problem isn't here, it's over there." She managed to giggle out, pointing right to Kartik, who, according to his original plan, was standing topless in the middle of the courtyard, with a large rainbow-coloured cape tied to his neck. </p><p>He spent barely five minutes shouting a well-rehearsed speech on homophobia through his utter disbelief and anger at what they did to Aman when Shankar Tripathi stopped him.</p><p>"Beta, you wait here. Just wait."</p><p>Then went inside the house, in search of something.</p><p>Kartik was pretty sure his expectation from last night was going to come true, Aman's dad was actually going to shoot him.</p><p>"Yaar, Aman, tell your dad to wait, I have a list of my last wishes I'd like to be fulfilled please I-"</p><p>Before he could finish his sentence, Shankar Tripathi walked out with a wooden stick the exact same size his own father had used on him - albeit metal - many years ago.</p><p><em>"You'll realize a scientist's beating and a blacksmith's feel the exact same, they're both fathers."</em>  Aman's words came rushing back to him.</p><p>However, no matter what, he wasn't going to falter. He knew Shankar Tripathi was very angry, and he'd let him take it out on Kartik instead of his son. It was better that way, saved the family a lot of conflict.</p><p>The moment the first blow landed on his shoulder, the shock and the pain brought back the worst of Kartik's memories that were stowed away somewhere. With each blow, a distant, haunting memory came back, and the physical and emotional pain he felt was <em>intense</em>.</p><p>And Aman could see it. He saw everything. The pain in his eyes, the shock, the memories, the ripple in his muscles, the way he clutched at his hand, the way he <em>cowered</em> at the memories before trying his best to stand up, to look strong, to let Tripathi know he cannot move on to his son, when <em>his boyfriend</em> was right here, strong and unrelenting.</p><p>That broke him. He couldn't take it anymore. He knew his father would stop this the moment he left. He also knew that would hurt Kartik beyond measure, but he would understand, he just needed to stop the pain.</p><p>So he ran. He ran as fast as he could and didn't turn to look, because he <em>knew</em> what he'd see. He knew it'd hurt him. He ran into his room and slammed the door loud enough for half of Allahabad to wince.</p><p>Kartik was shocked to his core the moment he saw Aman leave him, but realised a split second later that he wanted <em>this </em>to stop. And by god, by all the power of Amitabh Bacchan, Kartik was going to stop it. He'd take everything Shankar Tripathi gave him, and more, if that meant Aman wouldn't be harmed. </p><p>Right when he hurt so much he couldn't stand for a minute more, Shankar Tripathi wheezed and finally dropped the stick. A sign of defeat. </p><p>Kartik felt unimaginable pain all over his body, the kind of pain he hadn't felt in a couple decades, and he staggered over to the water tap to get some relief because he knew the cold water would shock his body enough to keep him awake for a few seconds. </p><p>He stood up, as tall as he could, as strong as he could, mustered up all his strength, and just before falling unconscious- </p><p>"My sexuality is my sexuality, none of your sexuality."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for reading this! I love y'all so much! I hope you like it, please like and leave comments! I appreciate everything! You can message me or send an ask to be tagged or send in a prompt! Main master list and request list are linked in bio on Tumblr: yass-rani</p></blockquote></div></div>
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